Some people think they can mistreat others without facing consequences. But sometimes, karma has a way of turning the tables when you least expect it, especially when rude behavior is involved.
In this compilation, we’ll look at three stories where entitled people got what they deserved after humiliating strangers in public.
From a snobby passenger on a plane to a woman with ulterior motives, these stories prove that treating others poorly can backfire in unexpected ways. Read on to see how karma struck back!
A woman thinking | Source: Pexels
1. Poor Old Lady Is Rejected Sitting in Business Class until Little Boy’s Photo Falls out of Her Purse
I had a very important flight that day. I was flying for a work presentation I had been preparing for weeks, but the commotion on the airplane made me forget everything.
It all started when this older woman, who wasn’t dressed for business class, quietly found her seat a few rows ahead of mine.
An older woman sitting in an airplane seat | Source: Midjourney
At first, no one paid much attention to her. But then, the man sitting beside her lowered his newspaper and shot her a look. It seemed like he was disgusted.
He immediately flagged down a flight attendant, pointing at the woman like she was a problem to be solved.
“What is this?” he asked.
The flight attendant looked a bit mortified at the man’s tone. She verified the woman’s seat number and replied, “This passenger took a seat according to the ticket she paid for.”
A flight attendant | Source: Unsplash
The man looked like he would throw up any minute. He pulled out a handkerchief and covered his nose with it, making it seem like the woman hadn’t showered in ages.
“I don’t know what’s on her ticket, but I bought a seat in business class to get away from people like her,” he snapped. “Now, it just feels like I’m in a cheap alley with homeless people.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
A young woman in an airplane | Source: Midjourney
Suddenly, the murmurs around the cabin grew. A couple of passengers joined in to support the man.
“If I wanted to fly with people like her, I’d buy an economy ticket,” a woman decked in jewels said.
It was unbelievable how these passengers were judging the woman on her looks. The flight attendant tried to calm everyone down, but the man next to the old woman just wouldn’t let it go.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
The older woman, Rhea, was trying so hard not to cry. She sat there quietly as they trampled all over her dignity. Then, she stood up.
I think she was going to leave because the humiliation was unbearable.
As she walked forward, her purse fell, and its contents spilled all over the floor.
“Oh, no,” I gasped and immediately went ahead to help her. Meanwhile, the others watched in silence. I even heard a few people laugh.
A close-up shot of a woman’s face | Source: Midjourney
While collecting her things, I found a small photo of a boy. I handed it to Rhea with a smile and began a conversation to make her feel comfortable.
“Is this your son?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said out loud. “He’s the pilot of this plane.”
I was shocked. We all were. The same people who had just been complaining about her started to shift uncomfortably in their seats.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Then Rhea went on to explain that she had given up her son for adoption when he was five. She couldn’t afford to raise him then, but now she wanted to see him again. She had been looking for him for years.
“A year ago, I found out he had become a pilot,” she said in a trembling voice. “And I knew this was my chance to be close to him. I had saved up for this business class ticket to be closer to the cockpit. It’s more like a birthday gift for me.”
Her story hit everyone hard.
An older woman talking to a younger passenger | Source: Midjourney
The man who had been previously mocking her suddenly looked ashamed. All eyes were now on him as he tried to hide his face with his palms.
“I-I…” he stammered. “I’m sorry for what happened earlier. I hope you’re able to see your son today.”
Before we knew it, the flight attendants were urging Rhea to go meet her son.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney
She was worried that he wouldn’t want to see her after all these years. But then, a voice over the intercom broke the silence.
“This is your captain speaking. I just want to wish a special passenger on this flight a very happy birthday… Mom, happy birthday!”
I almost cried. Heck, I think a lot of us did.
People who had been so cruel were now clapping, some even wiping tears from their eyes. Fate made them feel ashamed after they humiliated Rhea for not wearing expensive clothes. It’s wonderful how fate works in ways we can never imagine.
A woman in an airplane, thinking | Source: Midjourney
2. Woman Humiliated Me at a Restaurant, but the Next Day, She Appeared at My Door as My DIL
I’ve always lived simply, saving everything for my son, John. I raised him alone, and now he is a hardworking business owner.
One day, I decided to visit his new restaurant to surprise him. I wore my usual modest clothes and took a bus.
Upon reaching there, I walked in and found a quiet table by the window. The waiter greeted me, and I asked him to bring me a cup of tea.
A waiter in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
As I waited, a young woman dressed in designer clothes approached me with a smug expression.
“Excuse me,” she said condescendingly, “This table is reserved for my boyfriend and me. You’ll have to move.”
I was startled. “Oh, I didn’t realize. There wasn’t a reservation sign.”
“Doesn’t matter. This table is for someone dressed more… appropriately. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself.”
A woman in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Her words made me angry, but I didn’t want to cause a scene. I quietly gathered my things and left without even meeting John.
I felt extremely humiliated but didn’t tell my son about it because I thought that would spoil our meeting the next day.
Little did I know that things would only get worse.
A woman going home | Source: Midjourney
The following day, I was preparing lunch at home, eager to meet John’s girlfriend. I was so excited when the doorbell rang, but it immediately faded away when I opened the door.
The same woman who had humiliated me at the restaurant was now standing on my doorstep. She was John’s girlfriend.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she recognized me, but then she just smiled. She pretended like she was meeting me for the first time.
“Mom, meet Sarah,” John said.
A close-up shot of a man smiling | Source: Midjourney
“Hi, Sarah,” I said, forcing a smile. “Please come in.”
As we sat down to eat, John began talking about their plans. Then, he dropped a bombshell.
“Mom, Sarah has a great idea. She wants to buy a café, and we were hoping you could lend us some money to help get it started.”
“A café?” I asked, looking at her with wide eyes. “That’s a lot of money, John.”
Before John could respond, Sarah stood abruptly and excused herself to use the restroom.
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
I immediately turned to John once she left. “Are you sure about this? I don’t trust her, John. She treated me poorly yesterday at your restaurant.”
“What are you talking about?” John asked, confused.
Then, I told him everything that happened yesterday.
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Before I could say more, Sarah returned and sensed the tension.
“What’s going on?” she asked sweetly.
“Mom says she won’t give us the money,” John replied, clearly upset.
Sarah’s eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
A close-up shot of a woman’s face | Source: Midjourney
“I don’t trust you, Sarah,” I said. “You treated me terribly yesterday at the restaurant.”
She feigned innocence at first, but when that didn’t work, her tone changed.
“If your mom doesn’t accept me, our relationship is over,” she spat, turning around to leave.
I thought my son would stay back, but he didn’t. He stood up, held her hand, and left me alone.
At that point, I knew Sarah wasn’t the right woman for John. I felt helpless because I couldn’t do anything to make him realize that.
An older woman crying | Source: Pexels
A month later, I received an invitation to the café’s opening. John told me he had arranged the money for Sarah through a few friends.
“I’ll be there, sweetheart,” I told John as a plan brewed in my mind. “I’ll definitely be there.”
On the day of the opening, I wore my best dress and took a bus to the café.
“Mom! How are you?” John greeted me at the entrance. “Come in, the celebrations are about to begin.”
I smiled and made my way inside.
A few minutes later, I asked Sarah to step out with me for a short conversation. Before leaving, I discreetly nodded to the bartender, signaling to set my plan into motion.
A bartender | Source: Pexels
“So, Sarah, I’m curious about your plans for the café. How do you see its future?” I asked casually.
Sarah smiled, confident in her victory. “Oh, it’s going to be a great success. I’ve got big plans.”
“Really? And what about the money John arranged for you? How are you planning to use it?”
I quietly watched as she rolled her eyes.
A young woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, that? It’ll help with the expansion and a few personal investments,” she said before looking around to ensure we were alone. “You see, I need John only for the financial benefits. Love is nice, but security is better.”
I couldn’t believe my ears.
“Your son loves me so much. He’s never gonna realize he’s being manipulated. And we all saw how he refused to believe you the other day,” she chuckled.
After a few more minutes of her revealing her true intentions, I decided it was time to return inside.
A woman in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Everyone was silent when we stepped inside.
“What’s up, babe?” Sarah asked, but John just looked at her with wide eyes.
“Mom was right about you,” he said. “I heard everything you said outside.”
Sarah had no idea I had connected my phone to the Bluetooth speaker in the café, and everyone had heard our conversation. Everyone in the room knew Sarah didn’t love John.
An upset man | Source: Midjourney
“John, it’s not what you think!” she pleaded, but it was too late.
John, humiliated and heartbroken, ended their relationship. He later apologized to me over a quiet dinner.
3. An Entitled Man Took My Seat on the Bus, but Karma Struck Him Three Times during the Trip
I was having a decent day until I boarded that crowded bus. I’d managed to grab a seat, placing my bag on it while I helped Mrs. Chen with her suitcase.
However, my seat was gone when I turned back. Some guy in a fancy suit had taken it, tossing my bag on the floor.
A man sitting in a bus | Source: Pexels
“Excuse me,” I said, trying to stay calm, “That’s my seat.”
The man barely glanced up. “Don’t care. First come, first served.”
“But my bag was here—”
“Look, lady,” he snapped. “I’m not moving. Take your bag and find another seat.”
Fuming, I grabbed my bag and headed to the middle of the bus.
A few moments later, the bus jerked forward, and I grabbed onto a pole to steady myself. That’s when I heard a baby crying.
People in a bus | Source: Pexels
I smirked as I noticed the man stiffen while the baby cried behind him.
“Can’t you shut that kid up?” he snarled at the young mother.
“Sorry, he’s teething,” she explained softly.
“Hey, buddy,” I called out, “How about you mind your own business? She’s doing what she can.”
He shot me a glare but turned back around without a word.
The baby, bless his heart, was like a tiny agent of karma. He cried every time the man tried to close his eyes.
A man on a bus | Source: Midjourney
The real fun started when the baby began kicking the back of his seat. Hard.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The man looked like he was about to lose it.
“For the love of… can you control your child?” he growled.
The mom apologized again, looking close to tears. That’s when I couldn’t resist anymore.
“If you’d given me my seat back, you wouldn’t be dealing with this,” I said sweetly. He just stared at me without saying anything.
And just when it couldn’t get worse for him, it did.
A rude man | Source: Midjourney
A few raindrops hit the windows, and he reached for the roof hatch above his head. Instead of closing it, the man accidentally broke its latch.
“Uh, oh,” he said as water started dripping right onto his head.
“Having some trouble there?” I asked, trying not to laugh.
“Shut up!” he snapped. “This is your fault!”
“Maybe it’s just karma.”
A woman on a bus | Source: Midjourney
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.